The present invention relates generally to a manner by which to allocate communication capacity to facilitate communications between communication stations of a radio communication system, such as a Bluetooth-compatible communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus, and an associated method, by which to allocate communication capacity for communications between slave devices of a Bluetooth piconet, or other radio communication system. Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, the communication capacity in a Bluetooth piconet is more efficiently utilized as direct communications are permitted within a single piconet. The need to communicate by way of a master device or to define multiple piconets is obviated.
Technological advancements in communication technologies have permitted the introduction, and popularization of usage, of new types of communication systems. Communication devices of both increased processing capacities and of smaller sizes are able to be utilized in applications and in situations not previously possible or practical.
New wireless communication systems, and communication devices operable therein, have been made possible as a result of such advancements. A cellular communication system capable of communicating packet data is exemplary of a new wireless communication system made possible as a result of technological advancements. A cellular communication system includes a network infrastructure which is installed in a geographical area and affixed in position. Mobile terminals operable in a cellular communication system communicate by way of the network infrastructure.
Additional types of communication systems have been proposed which also take advantage of the advancements in communication technologies. For instance, ad hoc, i.e., infrastructure-free, communication systems have been proposed. The Bluetooth standard sets forth an ad hoc, communication system which provides for wireless connectivity of a large number of different devices. Bluetooth devices are connectable in an ad hoc manner by way of short-distance radio links, thereby to permit data to be communicated between such Bluetooth devices. Each Bluetooth device forms a node in the Bluetooth system, sometimes referred to as a Bluetooth piconet. A Bluetooth system, unlike a cellular communication system, though, does not have a fixed infrastructure.
The Bluetooth devices are potentially mobile, and movement of the Bluetooth devices necessitates corresponding link changes as a result of such movement. The Bluetooth standard defines piconets formed of a master and slave relationship between one Bluetooth device forming a master and up to seven Bluetooth devices forming slaves to the master. A master of one piconet might also be a slave in another piconet, and the piconets together define a scatternet. Communications are also effectuable between Bluetooth devices positioned within different piconets. And, piconets are dynamically configured and reconfigured, as necessary, to accommodate communications between the Bluetooth devices.
A Bluetooth communication station forming a master device in a piconet controls channel access needed for communications between all communication stations of the piconet. And, in particular, in conventional operation, all communications effectuated in the piconet are communicated by way of the communication station forming the master device. As a result, direct communications between slave devices of the piconet do not conventionally occur.
Therefore, conventionally, to effectuate communications between slave devices within a piconet, channel allocations must be made between the slave devices and the master device. Information to be communicated by a first of the slave devices is first communicated to the master device. Thereafter, in turn, the master device forwards on the information to a second of the slave devices. Inherent inefficiencies result as channel allocations are required along two communication paths, i.e., between a first slave device and the master device and between the master device and a second slave device.
Alternately, due to the dynamic nature of configuration of piconets, when slave device-to-slave device communications are to be effectuated, an additional piconet can be defined. One of the slave devices between which the slave device-to-slave device communications are to be effectuated is defined to be the master device of the newly-configured piconet. Communications between the slave device and the slave/master device are thereafter directly effectuable. However, the same frequency band is utilized for communications in the two piconets. Resultant interference between communications at the separate piconets, within the same frequency band, might well diminish communication quality levels of the communications.
Existing manners by which to effectuate communications between slave devices, as a result, are either inherently inefficient or potentially reduce communication quality levels of communications in the communication system.
If a manner could be provided by which to permit direct communications between slave devices of a piconet, improved communications within the piconet would be possible.
It is in light of this background information related to communications between communication stations of a wireless network that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.
The present invention, accordingly, advantageously provides apparatus, and an associated method, by which to allocate communication capacity to facilitate communications between communication stations of a radio communication system, such as a Bluetooth-compatible communication system.
Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, a manner is provided by which to allocate communication capacity for communications between the slave devices of a Bluetooth piconet, or other radio communication system. Direct communications are permitted within a single piconet, thereby obviating the need to define more than one piconet to effectuate the communications or to communicate by way of a master device. In contrast to existing manners to effectuate communication between slave devices, more efficient utilization of the communication capacity available in a piconet is permitted through operation of an embodiment of the present invention.
In one aspect of the present invention, a manner is provided by which to permit direct slave device-to-slave device communications in a Bluetooth piconet when ACL (asynchronous connectionless link) communications are effectuated by the devices of the piconet. The master device defined in the piconet is operable to receive a request by one of the slave devices for the allocation of communication capacity to communicate information with another slave device. The request, for example, further includes an indication of the communication capacity required to effectuate the desired communications. Responsive to the request, the master device allocates one or more time slots forming a channel, or channels, to the slave devices to permit direct slave device-to-slave device communications. One or more time slots are allocated for the communications, and such time slots are reserved for such communications. Other communications at the piconet are effectuated, for example, pursuant to a hopping pattern which forms a reduced hopping sequence (RHS). ACL communication links can also, e.g., be supported as SCO (synchronous connection-oriented) links. The reduced hopping sequence excludes the time slots forming channels to which allocation is made for the communication of information between the slave devices. While the reduced hopping sequence marginally reduces throughput capabilities in the system, slave device-to-slave device communications are provided, without requiring a multiple of connections to communicate by way of a master device.
In another aspect of the present invention, a manner is provided by which to permit slave device-to-slave device communications when an SCO (synchronous connection-oriented), or other, communication is also to be effectuated. A request is generated by one of the slave devices for allocation thereto of channel capacity to communicate with another slave device. The request is communicated to the master device of the piconet. Responsive to the request, channel allocations are made to permit the slave device-to-slave device communications. Time slots are allocated to permit the effectuation of the communications between the slave devices during periods when the SCO link utilized for other communications is completed or otherwise not used. That is to say, communications between the slave devices are not effectuated during a communication session utilizing a SCO link. As allocation is made for the communication of information directly between slave devices, efficient utilization of the channel capacity of a piconet is provided.
In one implementation, slave device-to-slave device communications are effectuable between any pair, or more, of slave devices of a piconet. A direct communication path between the slave devices is provided without resort to configuration of additional piconets or requiring a communication path between the two slave devices to include a master device. The master device is operable, responsive to a request for channel allocation, to selectively allocate channels to permit the communications between the slave devices. Determinations are made as to the type of communications to be effectuated at the piconet, and appropriate allocations of channel capacity are made responsive thereto.
In these and other aspects, therefore, apparatus, and an associated method, is provided in a radio communication system. The radio communication system includes at least a first set of communication stations forming at least a first network set operable to communicate upon a common set of channels. The first set has a master-device station, a first slave-device station, and at least a second slave-device station defined therein. Communication between the first and at least second slave-device stations is facilitated. A request detector is coupled to receive indications of a request for allocation of channel capacity to permit the communication between the first and at least second slave-device stations. A channel allocator is coupled to the request detector. The allocator selectably allocates channel capacity for the communications between the first and at least second slave-device stations. Allocations made by the channel allocator are responsive, at least in part, upon other communications in the radio communication system.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and to the scope thereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings which are briefly summarized below, the following detailed description of the presently-preferred embodiment of the invention, and the appended claims.